As he contemplates the prospects of Break Card in Sydney’s final stakes race for 2010-11, trainer Gerald Ryan is looking forward to the new season with his younger horses.
Rising three-year-olds Fast Shanti and Schiffer will be in the spotlight at Monday’s barrier trials at Hawkesbury in preparation for the early spring races.
Ryan will decide over the next couple of days whether to send Break Card to the Listed Winter Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on a seven day back-up after her third at Randwick on Saturday.
“She will be nominated and I’ll monitor her over the next couple of days before I make a final decision,” Ryan said.
“She went terrific yesterday from the outside gate. I just wish she could draw an alley.”
The mare was scratched from the Civic Stakes a week earlier after drawing a wide barrier.
Before he makes a decision on Break Card, Ryan will travel to Hawkesbury on Sydney’s outskirts excited about the future of Fast Shanti and Schiffer.
A full sister to Group winner Rothesay who will stand at Queensland’s Glenlogan Stud this spring, Fast Shanti has made just one public appearance so far, winning a barrier trial in February.
Her Golden Slipper aspirations were dashed when she suffered shin soreness and the decision was made to concentrate on a three-year-old campaign.
Schiffer raced three times over December and January running second to Karuta Queen at Wyong on debut.
She beat subsequent Group One winner Benfica at Randwick on Boxing Day and ran third three weeks later in the Magic Millions at the Gold Coast won by Karuta Queen.
“She’s come up terrific, she had a good break after the Magic Millions,” Ryan said.
“She will probably kick off in the Rosebud qualifier at Warwick Farm on the 23rd then go to the Princess Series races.
“Fast Shanti might go there too or perhaps to a midweek.
“She obviously has to earn some prize money to get into the better races and Schiffer does too because most of her $250,000 is from the Magic Millions and doesn’t count.”
The four race Princess Series culminates in the Group One Flight Stakes (1600m) on October 1.
Brenton Avdulla will ride both Ryan-trained fillies at the Hawkesbury trials.
The trainer opted to travel the pair to Hawkesbury in search of a good track.
“The trials tracks in Sydney have copped a hammering and I’d like to see them on a better track,” he said.
AAP TURF
